Slide fastener closure for apparel



March 3, 1953 G. w. GelssMANN SLIDE FASTENER CLOSURE FOR APPAREL Filed Aug. 13, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENToR.

f/ff/qrroR/Eys March 3, l953 G. w. Gl-:lssMANN 2,629,875

SLIDE FASTENER CLOSURE FOR APPAREL Filed Aug. 13, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8

' INVENTOR. GLADYS WH/TON/B GE/JSMN/V HH; ATTORNEKS Filed Aug. 13, 1949 March 3, 1953 G. w. GElssMANN 2,629,375

SLIDE FASTENER CLOSURE FOR APPAREL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. GL/mqgl/f//colw GE/JJMANA/ Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED iii OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to slide fastener closures for openings in garments and the like and more particularly to concealed slide-fastener closures in whicrL the upper termini of the edges defining the opening are not otherwise joined.

Slide fastener closures, as conventionally provided in shorts, skirts, bathing suits, trousers and 'the like, ordinarily require suppiemental fastening means at the upper terminus of the closure 'to that the upper free corner of the flange overlying the slide key in its closed position does not become folded back to expose the key. 'The use of supplemental fastening means to maintain the covering flange in position over the key does not., fiirther'more. eliminate the presence on the outerusii'rface of the garment of the objectionable freercorner of the flange which covers the slide fastener.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel, concealed closure of the type described which obviates the necessity for supplemental fastening means at the upper terminus of the closure and which in addition eliminates the free Vcorner or flap eifect present in conventionally used slide fastener closures of the type described.

It is another object of the invention to provide means for concealing the slide fastener in openend type closures which is neat and orderly in appearance, out which is nevertheless inexpensive to manufacture.

It a further object of the invention to provide a slide fastener closure which greatly simplifies and expedites the manufacture of any garment in which the closure might be used.

'The invention involves redisposing, with respect to the edges defining the opening the conventional fabric flangeswhich embrace closed slide fasteners, and provides in addition a hooded compartment for accommodating the slide key in its closed position. The closure does not, it should be noted, prevent use of supplemental fastening or securing means if such be required, to relieve mechanical stress on the slide fastener per se, out does dispose of the requirement for supplemental fastener means for preventing unwanted exposure of the slide fastener and slide key.

The invention may be more readily understood from the following detailed description referring to tbe accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 4 show various stages in manufacture of one embodiment of the invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a method .for securing one tape of the slide fastener to the left edge of the opening in the garment (left edge here referring to the left edge of the completed closure as seen from the front). The fabric components as shown are turned inside out;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the rst step of a method for securing the second tape of the slide fastener shown in Fig. 1 to the right side of the opening in the garment, the fabric components being turned inside out;

Fig. 3 shows the second step of the method begun in Fig. 2 in which the fabric has been folded back upon itself along the fold line indicated by the dot-dash line n:-y in Fig. 2;

Fig. e is a front perspective view showing the completed closure.

Figs. 5-8 show a second method for making the novel closure in which:

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the first step of a method for securing a slide fastener tape to the right edge of the opening in the garment;

Figs. 6 and '7 show the completed closure, opened and closed respectively;

Fig. 8 shows the closure as it appears from the outside of the garment;

Figs. 9-13 show a third method for forming the novel closure in which:

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of a Welt used in construction of the closure by the third method;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the method of sewing both the welt (shown in Fig. 9) and one tape of the slide fastener to the right edge of the opening in the garment;

Fig. l1 is a perspective view showing the completed installation seen from the front with a portion of the garment surface broken away to show the seam, and with the lower portion of the seam pulled apart to show the slide fastener tape and welt on the inside of the garment;

Fig. 12 is a View of the completed closure as seen from the inside of the garment and shows the addition of an optional security tab;

Fig. 13 is a view of the closure as it appears from the outside of the garment.

In each of the closures described herein, there is provided a conventional slide fastener E comprising a left tape 2! and a right tape 22, each tape carrying a multiplicity of interlocking teeth 23 controlled by a slide key 2d in the usual manner. The terms left and right as used throughout the disclosure refer to the left and right sides of the closure as viewed from the outside.

Three methods for making the novel closure are described herein.

3 First method Referring to Fig. 1, the left tape 2| of the slide fastener is secured to the left edge of the opening in the garment. This may be accomplished in the usual manner by placing a left facing 25, if used, against the left surface fabric 25 of the garment, both the facing and surface fabric of the garment being turned wrong-sideout. The left tape 2| is then inserted between the facing and the surface fabric with the teeth 23 disposed inwardly. A seam 21 is then run from the point C across the top of the garment to secure the facing to the surface fabric, the seam being extended to cross the top of the tape 2| at which point a right angle turn is made and a seam 28 run downwardly adjacent the 4edges of the fabric to secure the tape 2| thereto. It should be noted that the upper end of the right tape 22 is held so as not to be caught in the seam 27. The work may then be turned right side out yielding the finished edges and secured left tape 2| of the left side of the closure as shown in Fig. 4.

The right tape 22 of the slide fastener is then free to be incorporated in the right side of the closure. This is accomplished by superimposing the right facing 29 and the right surface fabric 35] of the garment, inside out and with edges even, as shown in Fig. 2. The right tape 22 is disposed between the facing and surface fabric with the teeth 23 disposed inwardly as shown, and a vertical seam 3| run from the point J downwardly to the point F, to join the surface fabric 36, the tape 22 and the facing 29.

The lamination of the facing, tape and surface fabric is then folded back upon itself along the dot-dash line X--Y of Fig. 2, as shown in Fig. 3. A seam 32 is then run along the top of the garment between the points G and H. The work is then turned right side out and a top stitching seam 33 run between the points J and K, resulting in a completed closure as shown in Fig. 4 in which the right tape 22 of the slide fastener is disposed between fabric flanges 34 and 35 which were formed as a result of the folding and stitching operations aforedescribed. As a consequence of the seam 32, the flanges 34 and 35 form a pocket or a hood-ed portion 36 inseamed along its top edge 31. When the slide fastener is closed the flanges 34 and 35 will embrace and conceal the entire slide fastener, with the key 24 being disposed within the pocket 36. The result is an extremely neat closure which is complete in the absence of any supplemental securing means whatsoever, it being noted that by virtue of the pocket 3S for concealing the key there are no free corners which might be inadvertently turned back to expose the slide fastener.

Second method (Figs. -8)

If desired a slide fastener closure may be provided Which includes the features of the closure described in the first method, and which in addition provides an extended inner flange 38 cooperating with the usual outer flange 38 (Fig. 6). This modification of the invention provides for the use, if required, of a supplemental fastener, such as a snap 40, to relieve possible extraordinary mechanical stress on the slide fastener per se. It should be noted however, that the supplemented fastener does not operate 4 to prevent unsightly exposure of the slide fastener and key, this being accomplished by the aforedescribed flange pocket 36, which by virtue of the fact that it has no free corners which might be turned back, does not require supplemental securing means.

The left tape 2| of the slide fastener is secured in the usuai manner to the left side of the closure as shown in Fig. 1. The right tape 22 of the slide fastener is rst secured to the right side of the closure as shown in Fig. 2, with the edge of the tape 22 and the edges of the facing and fabric surface being aligned and the vertical seam 3| run in the usual manner. The fabric is then folded over as shown in Fig. 5 with a deep fold 4| being formed in the facing 25 and a shallow fold 42 being formed in the surface fabric 30, the latter fold being disposed within the fold 4|. A horizontal seam 43 is then run between the points K and L. The work is then turned right side out and a top stitching seam 33 run between the points J and K as aforedescribed, to secure the flange widths. The result is the elongated inner flange 38 with the normal outer flange 39 having the hooded portion 3E inseamed at its upper terminus, as in the preceding method.

If desired, supplemental fastening such as the snap 4D for example, may be secured on the facing of the left side of the closure and the front surface of the extended flange.

As shown in Figs. 'I and 8, the closed slide fastener 2G and snap 4D are completely concealed from the outside.

Third method (Figs. 9-13) The left tape 2| of the slide fastener may be secured to the left side of the opening in the usual manner, as described in Example l.

A welt 44 (Fig. 9) is prepared by doubling a strip of fabric along its longitudinal axis and inseaming the ends, if desired, by stitching transversely across the ends, with the welt turned inside out. The double-walled Welt is than folded on a transverse axis at the point Q as shown in Fig. l0 to provide inner and outer` flange poi`J tions 45 and 46 respectively, embracing the tape 22 of the slide fastener, the transverse fold of the welt being disposed at the upper end of the closure to overlie the finished edge of the garment. The surface fabric 30, inside out, may be folded to overlie the folded welt 44 as shown in Fig. 12 to provide an inner lining 41. If a separate facing is preferred, it is stitched or inseamed to the facing along the finished edge in the usual manner. The facing is optional in this method, since the under flange is formed by means of the double welt, not a facing.

A vertical seam 41' is then run downwardly from, or upwardly to, the point Q to catch the folded welt, the overlying surface fabric, the facing (if any) and the tape 22. The work is then turned right side out, revealing a pair of flanges embracing the right tape 22 of the slide fastener in the usual manner with the pocket 36 being disposed at the upper end thereof. In this case, there is no inseam along the upper terminus, but rather a fold-edge forming the concealing pocket for the slide key.

If desired, a security tab 48, far carrying supplemental fastening means, may be added to the inner flange as shown in Fig. 12.

If desired, the folded Welt portion 45 forming the inner flange need not extend to the base or lower terminus of the slide fastener, but may terminate at a lpoint between the ends thereof.

It ,Should be noted that top stitching ,is not required t0 complete the closure formed according to this example. although if desired, the lower edge of the welt on the front surface o f the garment may be finished off in any curve or shape desired, as shown on the dotted line 59 in Fig. 13, for example.

It will be apparent -that the novel slide fastener closure provided according to this invention is adaptable for use on a great variety of garments, such as shorts, trousers, jackets, bathing suits, skirts, foundation garments and the like, vin which the opening in which the closure is formed extends into at least one nished edge of the garment.

While specific embodiments have lbeen described the invention is not intended to be limited thereto, but is susceptible of numerous changes in form and detail within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a slide fastener closure for an opening in a garment wherein the opening intercepts at least one finished-edge of the garment, a slide fastener including a pair of tapes having interlocking means and a slide key for operating the fastener, a pair of opposing edges defining the opening andintercepting the finished-edge of the garment, means securing one tape of the slide fastener to one of said edges, and means securing the .other tape to the other edge, iiange means edgewise secured to one of said edges t0 overlie laterally of the exposed front surfaces of both tapes of the slide fastener in its closed position, said flange means extending lengthwise along the line of closure, passing about the finished-edge of the garment and extending at least partially along the inner surface of the slide fastener to overlie the back surface of the slide fastener to form a permanent pocket at the finished-edge of the garment for concealing the slide key when the slide fastener is closed.

2. In a slide fastener closure for an opening in a garment wherein the opening intercepts at least one finished-edge of the garment, a slide fastener including a pair of tapes having interlocking means and a slide key for operating the interlocking means, first and second opposing edges defining the opening and intercepting the finished-edge of the garment, means securing one of said tapes to the first of said opposing edges, means securing the other of said tapes to the second edge, first fiange means joined to the first edge to laterally overlie both tapes of the slide fastener when the latter is closed, second fiange means joined to the first edge to laterally overlie at least a portion of the inside surface of the slide fastener, said second fiange being of a width sufficient to cover the exposed portions of both tapes of the slide fastener when the latter is closed, said first and second fiange means being endwise joined permanently to form a pocket adjacent the finished-edge of the garment for concealing said slide key when the slide fastener is closed,

3. In a slide fastener closure for an opening in apparel wherein the opening comprises a pair of opposing edges intercepting at least one finished-edge of the apparel, a slide fastener including a pair of tapes having mutually interlocking means and a slide key for controlling the interlocking means, means securing one of said tapes to one of said edges defining the opening, means securing the other of said tapes to the other .edge lof lthe .openingwhereby .closing `of' .the slide fastener closes the opening to said finishededge, -iirst `iiange means carried by one of said edges and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to overlie the exposed front face of ,both tapes of the closed slide fastener, said first flange means extending lengthwise to .the finished-edge portion of the apparel, second flange means carried by said one edge and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to overlie the back, exposed surfaces of both tapes when the slide fastener is V`closed and means securing the said fianges together permanently along the nished-edge to form a pocket for concealing the said slide key when the slide fastener is closed.

4. In a closure for an opening in apparel wherein the opening comprises a pair of opposing edges intercepting at least one finished-edge of the apparel, a -slide fastener including a pair of tapes having mutually interlocking means and a slide key for controlling the interlocking means, means securing one of said tapes to one of said edges defining the opening, means securing the other of said tapes to the other of said edges, whereby closing of the slide fastener closes the opening tothe said finished-edge, first fiange means carried by one of said edges and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to overlie the exposed front face of both of said tapes when the slide fastener is closed, said first flange means extending lengthwise to the finished-edge of the apparel, second flange means carried by said one edge and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to overlie the exposed back face of both of said tapes when the slide fastener is closed, said second flange means extending to the finished-edge of the apparel, means securing said flanges together along the finished-edge to form a pocket for concealing the slide key when the slide fastener is closed, a tab secured to the underside of the edge to which the fiange means is secured, said tab being adapted to extend across the iner surface of the closed slide fastener to overlie the margin of the opposing edge, and cooperative fastening means on said tab and the margin for securing the tab thereto.

5. In a slide fastener closure for an opening in apparel wherein the opening comprises a pair of opposing edges intercepting at least one finished-edge of the apparel, a slide fastener including a pair of tapes having mutually interlocking means and a slide key for operating the interlocking means, means securing one of said tapes to one of said edges, means securing the other of said tapes to the other edge wherein closing of the slide fastener closes the opening, first flange means joined to one of said edges and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to overlie the front face of the slide fastener and extending lengthwise to the finished-edge of the apparel, second flange means secured to the same edge as said first flange and extending laterally outwardly therefrom for a distance exceeding that of said first fiange to overlie the inner face of said slide fastener and the margin of said opposing edge, said second flange extending lengthwise to the finished-edge of the apparel, and means securing the first and second flanges along the line of the finished-edge to form a hooded pocket for concealing the slide key when the slide fastener is closed.

6. In a slide fastener closure as set forth in claim 5 including cooperative fastening means on the second flange and the margin of the said opposing edge for detachably securing the ange thereto.

7. In a slide fastener closure for a slit running inward from an edge, a pair of slide fastenertapes having mutually interlocking means and a slide key for operating the slide fastener, means securing one tape to one edge of the slit and the other tape to the opposing edge of the slit whereby closing the slide fastener closes the slit to a point at the said edge, a flexible flange secured to one edge of the slit to overlie at least a portion of the length of one face of the closed slide fastener, said flange being of suflicient width to overlie the exposed surfaces of both tapes of the closed slide fastener, said flange extending lengthwise to the edge-terminus of the slit, a second flange secured to said one edge of the slit to overlie at least a portion of the other face of the closed slide fastener, said second flange being of sufficient width to cover the exposed surfaces of both tapes of the closed slide fastener and means for securing said flange permanently together transversely of the line of closure and proximate to the edge-terminus and independently of the opposing edge of the slit to form a pocket for concealing said slide key when the slide fastener is closed.

8. The method of forming a closure for a slit running inward from a finished-edge and utilizing two layers of material and a slide fastener comprised of a pair of tapes carrying interlocking means, said method comprising the steps of superimposing, inside out and edgewise aligned, the layers of material forming one edge of the slit, disposing one tapeV of the slide fastener between the layers adjacent the aligned edges, seaming along the edges to catch the tape of the slide fastener and both layers of material, folding the seamed work back upon itself inside the seam line, seaming the folded work parallel to and adjacent the finished-edge to set the fold, turning the work inside out yielding a pair of flanges laterally embracing said slide fastener and joined at the finished-edge to provide a pocket as formed by said folding and seaming operations, and securing the other tape of the slide fastener to the opposing edge of the slit, thereby to form a closure wherein the slide fastener is concealed by said anges.

9. The method of forming a slide fastener closure as set forth in claim 8 wherein in the folding operation, the fold in one of the layers is formed deeper than the other to provide concealing anges of dissimilar width.

GLADYS WHITCOMB GE'ISSMANN,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,002,306 Berlin et al May 21, 1935 2,083,712 Di Iorio June 15, 1937 2,175,229 Siegel Oct. 17, 1939 2,407,969 Di Ianni Sept. 17, 1946 2,506,411 Brohard May 2, 1950 

